Anything But
by BenZefron
Summary: Haru scoffed quietly as he remembered his late grandma's words. 'When you're ten, they call you a prodigy. When you're fifteen, they call you a genius. Once you're twenty, you're just an ordinary person.' He had hit ordinary a bit sooner than he expected. [Rated T for the vaguest description of blood.]


**Why am I writing Free! fanfiction, first of all. Anyways, I started writing this in English class after I saw something on the news that sort of sparked an idea in me. I was planning on this becoming a multichapter fic, but that's too much work, so the ending is kind of abrupt and - I dunno - I just feel like I could've wrote a better ending. I've also posted this on my tumblr, which you can find the URL on my profile page. This is sort of the edited version. And when I say edited version, it means that I've replaced like one or two words. Nothing really that major.**

**Anyways, it's been a while since I've written anything on this site. A couple of years, at least. I deleted all of my stories that I wrote, though, because they were all embarrassingly bad. I might write things in the future or I might not. It all depends on what ideas come to my head. I mostly write for myself, just to get the ideas that I have out on paper (or internet, whichever).**

**- Ben**

* * *

The ER doors slammed open and the frantic shouts of the doctors filled the hall as they weaved the bariatric cot between surgeons and patients. Following close behind was a group of four boys, all stumbling over each other as they tried to get closer to see the body that lay deathly still on the cot.

"Haru!" Makoto called, craning his neck above the crowd and, once he managed a glance, his stomach lurched. Where his legs should have been was a giant stain of red. A hand gripped Mako's shoulders and roughly shoved him back, the owner telling him and the others to stay behind the doors. The boys stopped in their tracks and watched hopelessly as the doctors pushed Haru through the doors.

Silently trudging over to the waiting room chairs, each boy assumed a position of despair. Rin hunched over and cradled his face in his hands, his fingers tangling in his messy hair. Nagisa, who was close to tears, had drawn his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. Rei clasped his hands tightly in his lap and was nervously shaking his leg. The only one that was not seated was Mako, who had taken to pacing back and forth anxiously and biting down on his lip whenever he felt the sting of tears.

He had gotten the call only moments ago. T-bone collision. Haru's car was completely crumpled, like paper. He didn't even give his parents an explanation before he ran out of the house. Mako stopped his pacing and looked at his friends. Rin had arrived panting and out of breath - he must've sprinted all the way to the hospital. Rei and Nagisa arrived shortly after.

Makoto finally sat down and scrunched up his eyes, trying to will away any thoughts of what could happen. It was a familiar feeling - one he hadn't felt in years. Flashes of that day Haru almost drowned sprung up in his mind and Mako shook his head.

Hours later, a pair of doctors pushed out of the doors. Mako immediately stood up and rushed to meet them. He felt a presence behind him, telling him that the other boys had followed.

"Are you with Nanase Haruka?"

He nodded dumbly, his words caught in his throat.

"He's going to be fine."

The boys let out a collective sigh of relief.

"But..." They all tensed. "The damage to his legs was beyond repair." Mako felt numb. He knew what that meant. However, Nagisa cried out, "What does that mean?"

One of the doctors looked down at him sadly. "We've had to amputate his legs."

There was a pregnant pause that was only broke by Rin's roar of disbelief. Mako gripped onto his shoulder, not to calm his friend, but to keep himself from collapsing to the ground in shock.

* * *

Three weeks later, Haru sat in the paraplegic center, mindlessly thumbing over the rubber of his wheelchair. His eyes were dead. There was no spark, no light, no drive that was once there. Mako was sure the others had noticed it as well. He had been the one to see Haru the first time he woke. He saw the look of horror on his best friend's face as he stared down at the stumps that once were his legs. He had been the one to restrain Haru as cried out in rage, letting go of his control on his emotions.

Haruka hadn't spoken since.

"Nanase Haruka?"

A short nurse with a clipboard had poked her head out into the waiting room. Mako looked over to where Haru sat, still thumbing over his wheels. He wasn't going to move on his own. He hadn't moved on his own in three weeks. Makoto sighed, glancing back over to the nurse, giving her a small smile, and stood up, walking behind Haru and wheeling him into the office.

* * *

Two months. Two months since he last felt the water. Two months since he last dived into her cool embrace. Two months since he formally resigned as Iwatobi Swim Club's vice-captain.

He was defeated. Separated from his true love. The others looked on with pity, but it only fueled his anger.

But here he sat with his prosthetic legs dangling in the pool, gazing over her shimmering surface. How pathetic it was that he would never feel the cool sensation of water in between his toes again, even though shin-deep in water. Haru heard footsteps behind him but he didn't move. The days following his accident, he had become lifeless. He was simply going through the motions now. He scoffed quietly as he remembered his late grandma's words. 'When you're ten, they call you a prodigy. When you're fifteen, they call you a genius. Once you're twenty, you're just an ordinary person.'

He had hit ordinary a bit sooner than he expected.

"Haru," Mako's voice was soft and laced with concern. He didn't answer, even when he came to sit next to him, dipping his own bare feet into the pool. "Haru, I have something I need to show you. Will you come with me?"

Again, the boy didn't answer. Instead, he pulled himself up and looked down at Mako expectantly. When he was up, he followed him to the locker room, where Nagisa, Rei, and surprisingly, Rin were all huddled around a laptop.

Rei looked up from the screen and pushed his glasses up. "Haruka-senpai. We've noticed that you've been a bit... ah... off. Since the accident."

"Off?" Rin growled. "That's the understatement of the year."

Rei shot him a glare before Mako took his place in explaining. "We know that you think you can never swim again. But we wanted to show you that there's still hope." He looked at Rei and they exchanged nods.

Rei clicked a video and the screen was taken up by a close up of a young man swimming. "Hanada Yuji," Rei introduced. "Three time silver medalist in the 2004 Athens Paralympics. S4 world record holder in the 50 meter freestyle."

He hit the next video. "Yang Yang," Nagisa piped up. "Four time gold medalist in 2012 London Paralympics. Freestyle."

The next video was pulled up. "Narita Mayumi," Mako said. "Quadriplegic. Widely regarded as one of the world's best Paralympic athletes. Fifteen gold medals."

Rei closed his laptop and they all looked up at Haru. His expression was unreadable.

"What're you trying to do?" He asked softly.

Rin scowled, marching up to him and grabbing him by the shoulders. "We're trying to get you to swim again!"

Haru roughly pushed Rin off of him and walked out of the locker room. He was just outside the gates of the pool when he heard hurried steps. Seconds later, Mako was by his side, stumbling out apologies. "I'm sorry, Haru, we just wanted to help. We didn't mean to upse -"

"Makoto," He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he wobbled down the streets. "It's fine. I wasn't upset."

His friend frowned. "Then why did you walk out?" Haruka shrugged. The walk down to the train station was quiet, as was the train ride itself. He stared out of the window wistfully before turning to Mako. "I was jealous."

Makoto blinked. "Huh?"

"Your question earlier. As to why I walked out. I was jealous."

"Oh," He nodded and shifted his body toward him, leaning his head against the window. "How come?"

Haru stared at his friend for a moment before glancing back out the window. "I can't swim like that anymore. I can barely walk."

Frowning, Mako placed his hand on his friend's shoulder, causing him to look his way. "You're the best swimmer I've ever seen, Haru. It comes naturally to you."

Haru allowed himself a small smile and he continued watching the landscape roll by.

* * *

June rolled around and, with it, came Haru's birthday. He wasn't expecting much but, on the morning of the 30th, he was rudely awakened by his doorbell ringing consistently. Groaning, he clambered into his wheelchair and rolled himself to the front door, opening it with a scowl.

"What?"

Mako grinned from behind the box in his arms. "Nice bedhead. Lemme in."

"Why should I?"

"I'll make you mackerel."

Haru hesitated for a moment before rolling out of the way of the door. Mako set the box down in his living room and Haru raised an eyebrow. "What is that?"

"This," His friend patted the box proudly. "Is your birthday present."

The boy frowned but lifted himself off his chair and onto the floor. Mako sat opposite of him, wearing an excited grin. When the box was open, he peered inside with curiosity. Makoto's grin only spread.

Haru's eyes widened as he laid eyes on the contents of the box. He gingerly took them out, one at a time, until they lay in front of him.

"How - ?"

"We all pitched in. Me, Rin, Nagisa, Rei. Even Gou-chan, Goro-san, and Ama-chan."

Haru was at a loss for words. Before him lay two, sleek prosthetic limbs and it was obvious by their design that they had a specific function - to swim.

* * *

"All swimmers for the 50 meter freestyle, please step up to the starting block."

He stretched his arm across his chest one last time before snapping his goggles on and crouching down into his stance. His heart hammered in his chest - a sensation he hadn't felt in years. Then again, this was the first time he would be competing in over a year. Haru closed his eyes and inhaled slowly. None of that mattered. The time didn't matter. Winning didn't matter. He just wanted to feel the rush of water against his skin again.

At the sound of the gunshot, his eyes snapped open and he plunged into the water. He could hear the muffled shouts of Sasabe leading the others in a rally cry. He could feel the water parting as he cut through her. His heart was hammering again, but this time not out of nerves, but out of adrenaline.

His hand stretched out and slapped the wall, his head rearing up as he gasped for air. Haru set his goggles on his head and climbed out of the pool. Not once did he glance up at the times. The cheering from his friends was all the confirmation he needed.


End file.
